Bittersweet November
by CelestialCircumference
Summary: KakaxSaku - ANBU Rated M for violence, language and sexual situations. Short multi-chap story. Kakashi told her he'd come back, but when things go wrong will he break his word?
1. Chapter 1

This is the story that I was so excited about! So as always, feedback is welcome and encouraged, especially constructive crit. You have no idea how important con crit is for a writer. This is my work and while I did put effort into it and rewrote parts of it (more than once) I am biased. Any errors or guidance? Please let me know in a respectful way. Any questions? Ask them. Thank you for reading. This has NOT been beta read.

* * *

**Chapter One**

_Asleep in your uncertain future no one else can tell you what you came here for or read your thoughts  
If confidence is open-ended there's no guarantee you'll be protected now; there's no safety house_

* * *

Sakura hadn't been too sure if ANBU was the right move for her. She had the same tense feeling in her stomach when she had approached Tsunade to mentor her, and quite a few other people (namely Naruto) weren't too thrilled with her decision either. After meeting strict qualifications and passing numerous rigorous exams, she found that ANBU fit her like a glove.

Her duty remained with the hospital but because of her abilities and a strong natural opposition to genjutsu, she was summoned for some tricky outings. She had been an active member for just over a year now and found herself assigned to more missions with tensions rising with Iwa once again. Iwa, as the Hokage (none other than the radical Danzou himself) had said, was a force that was to be neutralized. Sakura wasn't too fond of the rise in violence but any arguments of peace talks were squashed.

That's not to say times were taxing. The citizens of Konoha enjoyed a small time of peace after the demise of the Akatsuki and the man known as Madara. While relations with other countries strengthened – the alliance with Iwa was short lived and that's why on this morning she wasn't at the hospital preparing for her shift.

Sakura sat, legs crossed and back straight, as the commander along with Ibiki went over the latest intel. She looked around the auditorium and all the seats filled with black uniformed bodies. She couldn't help but look for him and she found him a few rows in front of her, to the right. She grinned lightly at his seemingly gravity defying hair. Not much had changed about him and in a sense it was comforting, especially with the way things were heading.

Ibiki took command the floor, droning on about Iwa nin. It seemed to be just another boring meeting until ...

"We need two men for a mission. Our sources, and a large sum of money, have finally landed us this opportunity. If you accept, you will be placed deep into Iwa territory, working alongside Jari and his squad. This is our best chance to take him and his operation down. Of course, it won't be simple and if your cover is blown, there will be no help for you. This mission is risky and chances are high that you may not return. We all want a piece of those scum – but keep that in mind before you volunteer."

There were whispers and hushed murmurs of excitement. Sakura shifted her eyes around, ignoring the person beside her talking trash about how he would wipe them out.

"I'll do it."

Her eyes went wide and she felt her heart sink as she watched Kakashi rise to his feet..

"Very good."

The man sitting in front of her stood, "I'll go too."

It was then that she realized it was Genma. Kakashi looked back over his shoulder and nodded once before his gaze locked with Sakura's. She wasn't quite sure if what she saw was relief or disappointment.

"The rest of you are dismissed!"

Sakura continued to stare at Kakashi until the guy beside her patted her on the shoulder to ask her to move. She mumbled an apology and got up, filing out behind the others. When she turned to look back at Kakashi again, he was gone.

.oOo.

It was no surprise that when Kakashi entered his apartment that night that the first thing he saw was a head of pink hair.

Sakura rose from the couch and turned around to face him. Neither of them spoke. He finally closed the door behind him and she stepped forward.

"Sakura-"

"Why you? Why'd you volunteer to go? It sounds like a suicide mission!"

"Would you rather someone else take it?"

"Yes!" she snapped at him.

"You don't mean that," but his voice remained as calm as ever, "What if someone like Kotoro accepted it? He has a wife and kids, would you want them to go through this?"

"No, of course not," she replied softly.

"Okay. Besides, I'll have Genma with me."

"Why does that not sound comforting?"

"Because you've never worked with him. He didn't achieve his rank by being an immature, womanizing pig."

The corners of her lips tugged upward, but the panic behind her eyes didn't fade.

"Don't do this, Sakura."

"You talk about Kotoro without realizing that you _are_ like him. What if you don't come back? You're family to Naruto … and me, you're-"

He placed his hand against her cheek, "You'll be fine and so will I."

"Kakashi-"

"You worry too much. I'll come back. How could I not when I have someone like you waiting for me?"

Sakura sighed, conceding with a nod. This wouldn't be the first time he had left on a particularly dangerous mission. He was loyal to a fault and he put his country, his duty, before himself. His dedication was one of the things she admired about him after all, it wasn't fair to hold it against him.

"So when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

She opened her mouth to complain but quickly decided against it. Now wasn't the time to be selfish and she knew he must be having more difficulty with this than he let on. After all these years he had allowed Naruto and Sakura closer, or more like they had forced themselves into his life. They refused to go away, to leave _him_ and he found himself with not only a young friend in Naruto but a wonderful lover in Sakura.

After all the time spent together he could read Sakura easily, far too easily than she was comfortable with sometimes, but she didn't care at the moment. He smoothed a hand through her hair catching the ends and twirling it between his fingers.

"Stay with me tonight, okay?"

"Like I'd want to be anywhere else."

He grinned softly to himself, "That's what I like to hear."

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently, pulling her toward the bedroom. She pulled down his mask, humming in delight when she felt his lips. Kakashi was in no real hurry as he stripped her of her clothes, leisurely appreciating each part of her body as it became exposed.

Once she laid before him completely naked, he let his hands roam her body, his Sharingan eye open and taking in every piece of her; her long legs, her flat, toned stomach, her full breasts, her kiss swollen lips and wide green eyes, and every freckle and scar in between. He wouldn't dare say it out loud, but if he were to die, he'd like to have a perfect image of her to recall. He claimed that he would come back to her, he sounded so confident, but his actions were saying otherwise.

Sakura hadn't felt self conscious around him since she was a teenager, but he was looking at her so intensely that the urge to cover herself rose.

She blushed, "Um … Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" he ran his hand down the side of her face and she turned her head into the caress.

"It's nothing," she whispered, kissing his fingers as they passed her lips.

Kakashi was passionate about many aspects in his life, especially when it came to sex, but this felt different. He had always been considerate of her wants and needs, but this … This time he not only fueled her desire, he overwhelmed her with it – bringing her to climax first with his fingers and then his tongue before giving in to her pleading to join their bodies. Even then, he took his time, drawing out the most pleasure inch by inch, with every push and pull, every languid rock of his hips against hers.

Reaching euphoria was a slow process and when it finally hit, it hit hard – her toes curling and spots dancing before her eyes as she cried out, clinging desperately to her lover. He maneuvered them into a new position, slipping his hand between their bodies to coax her into another orgasm as his pace increased.

Her body was still trembling and tears filled her eyes, it was all just too, too much. If Kakashi was anything, it was determined and he was relentless in accomplishing his goal. Sakura panted heavily, one hand clutching his arm, the other the sheets, as his rhythm broke and his thrusts became erratic. He was so close – and so was she.

"I love you. Sakura, I love you."

Her eyes widened. Kakashi was a man of action and he always let his actions speak for him. Never once in their nearly two year relationship had he said those words. He pulled her close to him, kissing her with urgency, a raw need.

They came simultaneously, moaning and crying into the kiss. They broke apart from each other, their breaths coming out in rapid puffs against the each others skin. He collapsed beside her, draping an arm over her sweat slicked abdomen, both of them still trying to regain composure, allowing their heart rates to steady.

Once her breathing returned to normal she rolled onto her side, facing him, gently dragging her fingers along his jaw and lips, "Did you say-"

"I did."

She smiled, although a little sadly, "Why?"

"I just wanted to make sure you knew."

"Of course I do."

He kissed the top of her head, "Good."

She stared at his chest in contemplation. She reached over and traced the scar across his right pectoral, "I love you, too."

She raised her head to look at him. He nodded, smiling softly, "I know."

She curled up into him and he pulled the blankets over them before wrapping his arm around her again. They both lay awake, silently, listening to the other breathing until the hour came that they both succumbed to sleep.

It was still dark when Sakura was stirred awake by the jostling of the bed as Kakashi got out of it. She watched him while he dressed and when he was finished, he turned to face her, "You should get some more sleep, it's still early."

"What time is it?"

"It's four-thirty."

"I can make you a quick breakfast."

"No time, I have to leave."

"Already?"

She leaned over the bed, picking her shirt off of the floor and quickly pulling it over her head. Her eyes scanned the floor, "Where-"

Kakashi leaned down, her panties dangling from his fingers. She snatched them away from him, hiding a smirk and mumbling 'pervert'.

He chuckled softly before she stood and wrapped her arms around him. She inhaled his scent deeply.

"I'll come back, so-"

"There's no need to say goodbye, I know," she sighed.

"Be sure to keep track of all those dirty little thoughts you have about me. I'll gladly indulge in them with you when-"

"Yeah, yeah," she smiled, "I'll look after your place."

"Alright, I'll see you soon."

She held her smile as he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. He put his mask in place and then he was out the door with a small wave over his shoulder.

Sakura sat back on the bed, bringing her knees up to her chest, and looked around the small room. She still had a few more hours until she had to be up to get ready for her shift at the hospital. She felt the familiar sting of tears pricking at her eyes. She laid back down with a sigh, burying her face into his pillow, pushing them back. She wasn't going to cry. She knew he was skilled, precise and deadly, and she was going to have faith in him. He was going to come back home She drifted off to sleep, curled up in his side of the bed

.oOo.

"So, how do I look?"

"Like the enemy. Good work."

"Sir."

The door to the sub level ops room opened and in hurried a rather disheveled Genma. He wasn't properly uniformed and by the style of his hair, he had just woken up. He bowed respectfully after kicking the door closed behind him, "Sorry sir!"

"Well good morning sunshine! How nice of you to join us."

Genma looked to his side and jumped back, startled, "Whoa! Is that you Hatake?" He poked at the scarred face. Kakashi swatted his hand away at every attempt.

"The name's not Hatake, from here on out his name is Tochi," commander Gota spoke, "And since you were late, you get to be Anshou."

"Aw, you mean the one with the wart on the nose?" Genma sighed heavily when his question was confirmed with a stiff nod.

"Change into his uniform, we'll go into the next step afterward."

Genma held up the pants and jacket, shaking his head, "I have to say, us Leaf nin have the better taste in clothing."

"Are you going to talk about hair and make up too Shiranui or are you going to get dressed?"

He kept silent, slipping into the single sleeved undershirt, followed by the flak jacket and the pouch around his waist. While he was transferring his weapons over, another ANBU member came into the room.

"I have Shiranui's fabric," she announced holding up a box.

"Get started."

The female operative knelt in front of Genma, taking a thin piece of sheer fabric out of the box. She peeled off the backing and placed it inside the bottom hem of his left pant leg. She repeated it with the right and then she pushed up his pant leg, her slender arm fitting up, her hand brushing his knee.

"Careful there," Genma smirked as her fingers inched upward, "Or you can feel around. You may like what you find," he chuckled.

She placed the strip on the inseam and then pinched some of his leg hair between her fingers and yanked.

He groaned in pain, jerking his leg away. She 'humph'-ed and continued with her work, Kakashi holding back a laugh obviously amused at his friend's misfortune.

"Thanks to one of our more technologically advanced allies, we now have this chakra activated material. I'm sure you remember when we collected samples from you."

Genma winced at the memory, "I'd rather forget."

"The strips of fabric are made specifically for you and react to your chakra. This makes keeping up a henge practically effortless, using the minimal amount of chakra, even while sleeping. This is one of your most crucial tools for remaining undercover."

The worker finished her task, sealing the last piece on the back of the hitai-ate he was to wear.

"Now you should henge, it'll require much less chakra," she stated handing the band over.

Genma summoned his chakra, surprised at just how much less chakra it took. Technology surely had its advantages.

"I suggest you get familiar with your appearance, quickly. Take these with you, learn your roles," he produced a set of scrolls which Kakashi took, "When you're done, destroy them. Our latest intel puts a camp of Iwa nin to the northeast of our border in a village that they've run over called Kasenaga. There's a squad of ANBU east of that location, they will be waiting for you under orders to attack on sight. The show you put on has to be believable, but try not to kill them."

"Sir!"

"You know the procedures to follow once you're on the inside and how to get out and back to us once you've completed the objective."

"Yes sir."

"Good. Once you're outside the gates you'll be on your own. Are you ready?"

The pair shared a look and then nodded.

"Then move out, and good luck."

The door opened and in came Ibiki, he straightened, hiding the fact that he was catching his breath, "Good, you're still here."

"Morino-san, they were about to head out."

"Then I'll make this quick. These just arrived. The cost of the mission is too high to risk. If by chance you don't make it back, at least some of the information you get will. These bugs are practically undetectable and work over extremely long distances. Maybe by the time you get back we'll have our new radios too."

Kakashi and Genma put the bugs on the inside of their jackets, the tiny chips seeming to melt into the fabric, it was camouflaged well.

"We'll be listening."

"Right. Come on Anshou."

Genma shot him an annoyed look, which didn't look much different than what was Anshou's permanent expression, "Sure thing, Tochi."

.oOo.

_Three weeks later …_

Sakura sighed as she shrugged out of her lab coat. Her shift managed to feel like it was much longer than it was, but that usually happened when she was stuck performing physicals and tending to the patients that were going stir crazy from being confined to their beds.

"Are your files ready for Hokage-sama?" Shizune asked, poking her head into the office.

"Yeah," she muttered, pulling the stack of files from her desk drawer, "I really wish that old man would understand that this isn't necessary."

"Well, he doesn't know anything about our line of work, saving lives," Shizune said softly.

"Yeah, just taking them."

"Sakura!"

"Sorry," she ruffled her hair scratching her scalp, "it's been a long day and I have training still."

"Oh, well tell Ino hello then. I haven't seen her since she's been missing her practices with me lately."

"I didn't know, I'll talk to her."

Shizune shifted the files around in her arms, "See you tomorrow."

Sakura waved and then gathered her things, locking up her office as she left. She said her goodbyes to the nurses she passed, roughly pushing open the front doors. She was so happy to be out of that place. It was too pretty of a day to be inside. The sun was shining brightly and the afternoon air felt wonderful with the cool breeze coming in from the north. She tucked a short piece of hair behind her ear and continued to Kakashi's apartment.

She had been coming once or twice a week to water his plant and keep his apartment clean and free of dust. She knew he'd appreciate it, but she wouldn't admit that she was doing it more for herself. She had no idea when he'd be back, _if_ he'd be back. There was no news coming in, but Ino had assured her that "no news was good news." But that didn't do anything to alleviate the fact that she was really missing him.

She let herself in after collecting his mail. She placed the letters in the stack and picked up an orange from the bowl of fruit she had brought. After rolling it between her palms, she peeled it and then ate the juicy sections while doing a run through of his apartment. She filled the small watering pot and smiled, turning the plant in the window.

"Hey there Mr. Yuki, you look thirsty," she tipped the pot, letting the water rain down over the leaves and deep into the soil. She grinned to herself recalling the way that Kakashi took care of his plant … when he remembered to. He was often apologizing to the thing for neglecting it, perhaps he'd be surprised to see it in such good condition.

A leaf broke off the end and fluttered down onto the sill. Sakura looked at it, her brow furrowing as a strange sensation came over her. A sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she sighed, picking up the leaf. She set the pot down and walked over.

She opened the door to see Ino standing there, "What ya doin Forehead? I thought we were sparring today?"

"We are, I was just cleaning up."

"Did you kill his plant?"

"Please, if he can't kill it I don't think anyone can. It just … fell off."

"So are you going to keep me waiting or what?"

Sakura set the leaf on the counter and grabbed a couple bottles of water, "Lets go."

Ino hadn't changed much, she just filled out a little more over the years … and that in turn gave her that much more confidence. She was fending off men she didn't want and sleeping with those she did. She moved up to Jounin status a couple years ago and had been making quite a name for herself. And she was proud of it.

The two women walked through the village. Surprisingly, they had remained friends even after Sakura entered ANBU. And just as their friendship remained in tact, so did their rivalry. Ino was determined to make it into the Black Ops as well, not to be beaten by someone "so low" such as Sakura. Having already been through the process, Sakura offered her help to her friend. At first Ino declined, claiming superiority but after her first failed attempt … well, pride wasn't much of an issue after that.

"Shizune said that you've been ditching lessons with her. If it's because of our sparring sessions-"

"No, it's not that. I just … I don't have the chakra for it, I don't have the will for it. Besides, my dad wants me to use my skills for something else. He thinks I'd be great for espionage or something like interrogation."

"Do you have the stomach for interrogation? You remember those classes we took right? It's even worse in ANBU, they do some pretty awful things to prisoners."

"Since when do you care about what happened to prisoners?"

She shrugged. She didn't want to let her friend know that she had been called in on more than one occasion to heal prisoners just so that they could be kept alive to torture longer. She didn't want to tell her about broken men begging her to kill them.

"So," Ino started as they entered a training field, "What are we doing today?"

"Lets go all out; weapons, ninjutsu, genjutsu."

"Good," the blonde grinned.

Sakura pulled her gloves on and tightened her hitai-ate, "Come on, Pig, show me what ya got."

The two jumped away from each other, readying for attack. Ino moved first, darting out to the right unleashing a fury of shuriken. Sakura blocked effortlessly, her agility was impressive. Ino appeared behind her, with her foot posed to strike. As she made contact, Sakura 'poof'-ed away.

Ino blinked, '_A clone?_' She didn't see her perform an jutsu, her eyes had been locked on her the entire time.

The ground split underneath her and she quickly jumped away. Sakura smiled, a few meters away, "I hope you didn't think it was going to be that easy!"

"Of course not," she grumbled, forming hand seals, "That's why I 'm prepared!"

.oOo.

Anshou and Tochi were carrying an injured member of their team as they moved forward through the enemy outpost. It was a simple assassination job, but thanks to the bugs that were planted on their clothes, the squad was well informed and had been prepared for their coming.

What they weren't prepared for was that Jari had planned for that as well. In the end, the assassination was successful and the bad guys were getting away. As much as Kakashi hated it, it was quite lucky for him and his partner. Jari was a smart man, smarter than they had anticipated. He had experience on and off the field and when he spoke, it was with clarity and enthusiasm. He was manipulative and respected, and feared. He had power and he knew it and he used it freely.

The others were celebrating as they made it into the clear, another victory for Iwa. Anshou chuckled along to a joke about dead leaves while Tochi helped their teammate to the ground.

"That was amazing, Jari-sama!"

The man chuckled darkly, "No, that wasn't amazing. This is."

He had moved so fast, Kakashi barely saw it coming. Genma made a run for him, "Tochi!"

"Anshou, no!"

.oOo.

Sakura was breathing heavily, dirt and sweat matted her hair, but she was smiling, "You know your genjutsu won't work on me."

"But I had to try," an equally worn looking Ino replied between breaths, "It's not fair, you're strong against genjutsu."

"Which is why I'm your perfect opponent. If you can't beat me then-"

"Who says I can't beat you?!"

"Come on Ino, I thought you were better than me?"

"I **am**."

"Then prove it!"

Goading Ino was always easy and the way she lashed out was always predictable. Ino charged at her and Sakura raised a kunai, ready to block. As Ino brought her weapon down a flash of black was between them.

The two women stood straight, surprised by the sudden visitor. But it wasn't just any visitor, it was ANBU.

"Sorry ladies, looks like you're done training for today. Haruno-san, you are to report to HQ immediately."

"Oh, okay."

Ino sighed, "Just you wait Sakura, I'll be there beside you one day."

"I know you will. Hey, don't let your emotions get to you. You get worked up too easily when I call you weak."

"Cause I'm not!"

"I know, but don't talk about how strong you are, you have to show it. That's what ANBU looks for."

Ino slowly nodded, "I'll see you later then, I guess."

Ino wouldn't admit it out loud, but it made her sad that she didn't have as much time with her friend anymore. Sakura turned to the masked nin, "Any idea why I'm being summoned?"

"All I was told was to retrieve you."

"Okay, lets go," she pulled her hands together and they disappeared.

.oOo.

Sakura was taken to a conference room, surprised to see both Sai and Yamato there. She acknowledged both of them and turned to look at Ibiki. He held up his hand and a moment later the door opened again. Raido bowed upon entering, followed closely by Neji. The door closed and Ibiki looked around the room at the questioning faces.

"I'm sure you're wondering why you are all here. Allow me to get straight to the point. Shiota, the tape. We received this a while ago."

A small device was handed over to Ibiki who pressed a button and set the electronic piece down on the table.

The sound of hard breathing filled the room, followed by words of encouragement, to "hang in there." There was a faint sound of explosions in the back ground followed by loud cheers and laughter.

"That was amazing, Jari-sama!" a gruff voice.

A chuckle. "No, that wasn't amazing. This is."

"Tochi!"

"Anshou, no!"

There was a loud thump that made Sakura jump in her spot.

A soft string of curses and then, "Anshou … What are you doing Jari?! Anshou was-"

"You can stop right there Hatake, Kakashi."

Sakura felt her body go rigid. _No_. No way, this wasn't happening.

"I know all about you and Shiranui there."

Ragged breathing and some grunting.

"Careful there, don't make my men kill you just yet."

The sounds of a struggle ensued, Sakura's stomach clenched and she willed her knees to lock, to hold herself up just a little longer.

There was a loud slap followed by stronger impacts, which reminded Sakura of how her fist sounded when connecting with a target.

"You fucking Leaf nin think you can deceive **me**?!"

Another whack and a sickening snap accompanied by a thick groan.

"Pick him up! And that other shit head too, he ain't dead yet. It's time to get some answers boys."

Ibiki cut the tape off, "Our men have been found out. There's more silence, background noises and then the man we presume to be Jari starts talking, asking questions," he shifted his eyes around to look at everyone, "he's keeping them alive to get any information he can out of them. They were ratted out, but he didn't say by who. The game has changed, we're getting them out of there."

"When?" Yamato asked.

"Immediately. Listen to me, I hand picked all of you for this, don't trust anyone outside of this room, if we have a rat we don't need the information getting to them. I have a bad feeling about this. Your mission is classified. No one else is to know what you're doing, not even commander Gota. If he has a problem with it, tell him to see me. I'll take care of it. Understood?"

"Sir!"

"Haruno! You are a last resort fighter, do you understand me? You are the only medic on the team and you can't do your job if you're dead. You're going to need your chakra to heal Hatake and Shiranui, so don't be reckless."

She was still in shock, "Yes sir."

"What was that Haruno? I didn't hear you."

"Yes sir!"

"Good. Now lets get you caught up and out of here."

* * *

A/N: I know this first chapter is a little short and it seems a little jumpy. I intended for that. Things will get explained later.


	2. Chapter 2

_There's always a tomorrow when it seems the end is near. Do you just surrender or do you persevere?  
Tell me how you want it and how it's gonna be. Are you gonna take it on your feet or on your knees?_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"One hour. We'll meet outside the gates," Yamato ordered.

Everyone nodded in understanding and then their bodies flickered out of sight. Yamato sighed, his head tilting back as he gazed upward. A single bird flew overhead.

"We're coming senpai."

As soon as Sakura made it home she began stripping off her clothes. She would have liked to take a shower but there just wasn't enough time. Sakura quickly and methodically changed into her ANBU gear. It was a process she was starting to get used to. She checked her weapon pouch and holster. She tightened her arm guards and strapped her ninjato to her back before picking up her mask.

_Done._ Two more stops.

She let herself back into Kakashi's apartment and opened his closet. Just inside on the left was an extra weapon pouch he kept stashed away. She opened the flap, seeing that it was full along with a battle worn copy of Icha Icha. She grinned to herself as she nudged the door close with her foot. She didn't know what kind of condition he would be in when they found him, but if she could heal him enough so he could fight then it would be better to be prepared. She looked around his room and then picked up an extra shirt securing it under her belt.

_Just in case. _One more thing.

Ino finished ringing up a customer, a huge smile on her face. Jounin or not, she still had to devote time to help out with her family's flower shop. At least she enjoyed it, and it was a nice change of pace on some days.

"I'm going to get another vase for display, be right back Mom."

Ino headed into the back of the shop, turning the handle on the storage room door. She opened it and walked inside and when she turned around, she very nearly screamed. She froze against the door, her hand over her chest.

Sakura stood up, "Sorry Ino."

"Shit! Sakura, you scared the shit out of me! Shit!"

"I said I was sorry."

"How did you get back here?" Ino took in her friend's appearance, "Never mind. Why are you here then?"

Sakura held out a small brass key, "Here."

"What's this?"

"The key to my apartment. I've been summoned for a mission so, as promised, you can use it while I'm gone. Just make sure to check my mail for me."

"I was just joking when I told you that."

"No you weren't, Pig."

"Shut up."

"Will you tell Naruto for me?"

"Sure, but he better not bug me for food or you're so gonna owe me," the blonde replied after a moment, crossing her arms.

"Deal."

The two girls smiled at each other but then Sakura's expression fell, "There's something else too. I can't tell you anything about my mission, but," she paused, fidgeting, unsure of how to continue.

"Sakura?"

"If I don't come back-"

"Stop," Ino's voice was strong, "don't you even think about not coming back. I haven't beaten you yet."

"Ino," she regarded her friend warmly, "fine, just remember what I told you okay?"

She nodded, her blue eyes welling with tears. They stepped forward and hugged each other tightly.

"Be careful."

"I will."

Sakura stepped back and then brought her hands together. She sent her friend a smile before disappearing in a wisp of smoke.

.oOo.

Sakura stood silently next to Sai, fighting back her nerves, willing herself to remain still and calm. She was anxious to leave, to find Kakashi and Genma and get them back home, where they belonged. The remaining teammates arrived, one right after the other.

"Lets go. We head northwest and we don't stop," Yamato announced.

The other four animal masked faces nodded and then they leapt into the trees. Sakura concentrated on the flow of chakra to her feet, it wasn't something she necessarily needed to do but, it kept her focused. The group traveled the remainder of the day and well into the night before Yamato called for a rest.

Raido seemed a bit uneasy as he kicked at the ground, "Yamato-taichou, I don't think we should stop."

"And why not?"

"Because Genma and Kakashi-san, they're-"

"They're being kept _alive. _We have to ensure that our chakra levels are high and that means resting and eating to replenish them. I want to get them out of there too, but I'm not going to let us go in there half dead on our feet."

"But-"

"You're not the only one that cares for them," he looked back at the others before turning to face him again, "so sit down and eat something, that's an order."

"Yes taichou," he replied, dejected.

They remained grounded for a couple of hours before the nerves and eagerness became too much. As they neared the border, the air cooled, the terrain becoming more steep and rocky. The squad abandoned the trees and stayed off the main trail, Neji scouting the surrounding area with his Byakugan for any presence of the enemy.

"We split from here. Keep your comms on and your eyes open."

"Hai!"

Sakura stuck beside Yamato as they headed toward an eastern outlook, using the slopes for cover as everyone headed to their assigned points. There, they were fulfilling their tasks as well; Neji was tracking the number and locations of nin and Sai was crouched, his brush set to paper quickly lining out a pack of rats.

"I'm ready," Sai released the jutsu, the ink springing to life off of the paper, the lines thickening and rounding as they took shape. The rat at the head of the group tweaked its nose and then scurried off, followed quickly by the others.

The group waited, eager and ready, each one's senses on high alert.

A small rat scampered along the edge of a clay wall, turning through maze-like corners. It passed by guards' feet undetected, sniffing the air, reaching out, sensing chakra. Just ahead was a heavy wooden door and as it neared it, the inked rodent stilled, slowly inching forward, pressing its tiny nose to the crack just under the door.

Outside, Sai finally spoke, "Found them."

.oOo.

Kakashi was sitting on his knees, awkwardly, with his ankles chained under him. His shoulders were sore, but he could barely move as his wrists were tightly shackled with chakra suppressing cuffs, which were connected to chains held fast to the wall.

Breathing was a chore, and he found that some of the pain was relieved when he drooped forward. So that's how he sat, with his body slack and back hunched. His left eye radiated with pain and a dry itching sensation. There was something covering his eye but he wasn't sure what it was and all around it, from above his brow to his cheek bone, throbbed. His surroundings were hazy at best and his right eye burned as he tried to look around. The right side of his face felt numb, which was a relief after the first round of pain he endured.

The room was eerily quiet and the air was so thick, he could taste it – and he hated it. Every inhale was like a mouthful of filth; dirt, sweat and blood. He could hear two men, talking in hushed tones, but he could barely make out what was being said.

But he did hear the lock turn and the door protest as it was swung open. The men snickered as Jari entered, a smirk gracing his lips as he pushed Genma into the room. Jari tiredly rubbed at his tanned face before kicking Genma onto the ground who landed with a heavy grunt.

Kakashi looked up, taking in his partner's appearance, the blood decorated his features darkly. Genma's hair was soaked, sticking to his cheeks and neck, but for the life of him, Kakashi didn't know what his hair was wet with. Genma raised up, his hands bound behind his back as well, his breathing labored. Between his gasps for air there was a soft _pitter-patter_ as blood dripped from his chin and onto the floor.

Kakashi closed his eyes, unable to keep them focused. But he can hear Jari's footsteps as he circled him.

"Just tell me what I want to know, Hatake. You can make this a lot easier on yourself, you know."

Kakashi laughed bitterly, "You'll kill me regardless."

Jari grinned, "You're right. But wouldn't you like a quick death? Just tell me what you know and where your men are positioned and I will grant you that much. The longer you keep your secrets, the longer you will suffer."

"Try me."

There was a loud noise, something blunt connecting harshly with skin and Genma groaned, his body teetering to the side.

Jari cocked his head to the side, "Here's another opportunity to tell me."

He remained silent. There was another blow to Genma's head and Kakashi could hear the blood splatter.

"Do you want to tell me now or shall I continue?"

Kakashi still kept his mouth closed. This angered Jari and his fists connected violently with Genma's face, over and over. There was a crunching sound as his nose broke and then Jari called the other men over who took up his position, alternating between kicking and punching him onto the brink of unconsciousness.

Jari signaled for them to stop and he walked over, pushing Genma up onto his knees. He looked to Kakashi, a kunai twirling in his free hand, "Your friend's death will be on your hands if you don't fess up. Just think, a tiny piece of information you have can save his life and he can stumble back to Konoha with his tail between his legs … if he doesn't bleed out first, that is."

Genma took a few deep ragged breaths, sucking the air through his teeth. He turned his gaze to meet Kakashi's, "Don't fucking tell them anything!"

Jari turned his hateful gaze to Genma, directing the blade to his face, "Don't encourage him."

"I'll tell you nothing," Kakashi declared strongly.

"Very well," Jari shoved the blade forward, burying it in Genma's chest. Kakashi tried to lunge forward, pulling on the chains instead and he fell onto his side, his shoulder and head bumping the cold floor. There was a soft gurgling sound, followed by a sticky cough.

"Genma!"

Kakashi couldn't maneuver his body to look, his friend's crumpled body lay just inside his peripheral. Was Jari just playing with him? Was he dying? Dead already?

A pair of sandaled feet stopped in front of him, "You should really reconsider given the position you're in."

And then he walked away.

.oOo.

Raido and Yamato were crouched on the rooftop, looking down at the patrol below. The guards across the bridge were heading toward the opposite end, about to round the other side of the building.

"Wait for my mark," Yamato said as he retrieved a kunai, spinning the blade outward.

The guards disappeared and Yamato moved first, quickly followed by Raido. They moved with lightning speed, concentrating chakra to their feet to run down the side of the building, straight down onto the two unsuspecting men below them.

Yamato covered his target's mouth, driving the weapon into his neck. Raido's movements mimicked his. The remaining squad members moved up under the bridge.

"There's a third man that joined the guards. It looks like they've stopped to talk," Neji alerted them.

"I can provide assistance," Sai said, moving up.

"Good. Take him from below, we'll get the sides."

Sai started slowly, quietly up the rocky formation, Yamato and Raido splitting and edging around the building. Yamato and Raido acted swiftly, taking out their targets. Sai's hand clutched the third's ankles, pulling him down. All the others heard was some grunting and then a thud as the body hit the ground.

They regrouped, heading into the building, silently and efficiently killing the others that were in the way. Sakura's breathing increased, she was nervous. All kinds of thoughts were racing through her mind. What kind of condition were they in? Were they even still alive by now? She tried to shake off the anxiousness she was feeling. She was ready to do her part.

Neji slowed, holding up his hand as he spotted Sai's rat. He peered through the door, his Byakugan working overtime.

"They're in there. Both are alive, but one of them is barely hanging on. There are three others in the room."

"Prepared to breach?"

"We are."

"Good."

.oOo.

Jari stood over Kakashi, who was still lying on his side after attempting to make a move for Genma. His narrow eyes roamed over him, "Have you rethought your position?"

"No."

"I will break you. I will destroy your body until you cooperate. Sound fun?"

"Like a blast," he quipped.

Jari's nostrils flared and he raised his foot, stomping down on Kakashi's leg. There was a loud crack and Kakashi cried out, screwing his eyes shut. The pain was sudden, intense and coursed strongly through him, arching his back.

Jari squatted in front of him, and ripped his pant leg apart at the seams. He tilted his head, looking with a morbid fascination at the white bone that had broken through the skin. He hissed, "That looks pretty nasty," he shook his head, "I bet it hurts pretty fuckin bad too, huh?"

Kakashi didn't say anything, he was focused on steadying his breath, on coping with the pain.

"I asked you a question. I said it hurts pretty fuckin bad, doesn't it?!" he pushed down on the exposed bone, slowly. Kakashi's face twisted into a grimace, but he held back this time. He wouldn't give this man the pleasure of knowing how much pain he had put him through.

Jari pouted, displeased by his reaction, "You know, I had a feeling that it would be tough to crack the great Copy Nin. Luckily, I have someone that's quite impressive when it comes to matters of the mind. I _will_ get that information one way or the other, but I think I'll have a bit more fun with you first."

Kakashi tried to turn his head to watch him as he walked away, but he couldn't see any higher than his waist. There was the cool scraping sound of metal against metal and he steeled himself for the torture that was to come.

"I'm willing to bet that without that Sharingan of yours, you'd be just another mediocre ninja."

Kakashi froze. His gaze fixed on the feet that were coming closer again.

"And I bet that without both of your eyes, you'd be a pretty useless ninja," he chuckled, "too bad there aren't any Uchiha around anymore, eh?"

He knelt, grabbing him by the hair and dragging his head closer, turning it to an angle he preferred. Kakashi stared up at him, his gaze filled with malice. Jari stared right back, unflinching, "Now, which one should I get rid of first?"

He directed the blade back and forth between his eyes, "Lets go with your left, I think I like the idea of you watching me as I do it."

He clenched his jaw, holding his breath as he felt the blade cut into the swollen skin above his brow. He moaned as he felt a piece of his flesh come away, blood spilling down the side of his face.

Suddenly, there was an explosion, the floor and walls rumbling around them and then the door came from its hinges. There was the familiar sound of kunai whizzing through the air and then the loud, grating noise of an alarm.

Kakashi coughed on the dust and dirt floating in the air around him. The ground rumbled again and then the light was dimmed as pillars rose from the floor, but even then there was a faint comforting scent. A light mixture of vanilla and flowers and then he realized, in his stupor, who that scent belonged to.

Sakura wasn't ready for the sight that greeted her. She figured they wouldn't be in good condition but the amount of blood … the instruments on the table, the smell in the air – it was enough to make her sick.

A head of pink came into his line of sight and he felt utter relief. She knelt beside him, shocked at his appearance. He nodded toward his downed comrade.

"Genma ..."

Sakura touched his chest gingerly, "Okay, I'll be right back."

She fell to her knees beside Genma, her eyes scanning his once handsome face, now bruised and covered in blood. With her hands alight with chakra, she quickly checked him over doing a mental checklist of injuries. He was still alive and still breathing, so that was very good news. She removed his cuffs so she could lay him on his back and then she set to work, pulling the kunai from him and mending the muscle and tissue. She mended his head wounds the best she could. He slowly started to come to.

She pulled him up into a sitting position, bracing him with her leg behind him. She reached into her pouch, pulling a small tin box from it. She opened it and removed a capsule, pushing it past his lips.

"Swallow this for me, Genma, it's going to help replenish your blood."

"Sakura?"

"Yes, just … listen to me, okay. We're gonna get you out of here."

He obeyed, swallowing it dry, coughing afterward. She pulled her canteen free and let him drink.

"Rest here for a minute, let the pill work. I'm going to help Kakashi."

Genma nodded weakly, falling back down onto his back. Sakura crawled quickly back to Kakashi's side. He was watching her as she looked him over. He knew he was in bad shape but her expression gave away exactly how bad it was.

"Alright, first ..." her hands worked fast, uncuffing his hands and feet, "I'm going to have to set your leg. It's going to hurt, badly."

Sakura cringed as she carefully moved his leg, stretching the limb into the proper position, "Ready?"

He nodded and she moved, fast. He growled out, his head falling back, a string of curses falling from his lips. Sakura concentrated on mending the bone and muscle and skin and then she moved beside him.

He had brought up his hand to feel around his left eye, but she caught his wrist, stopping him Her hands softly caressed his face, avoiding the crudely stitched on eye patch, "What did they do to you?"

"Just undo it."

She focused her chakra to her fingertips and precisely cut through the stitching, carefully removing the patch. It was rather painless but he thought the pulling was annoying. She pressed her hand to his eye, healing the skin around it while holding his gaze. When she was done he raised his hand to feel. The skin was smooth and raw and sore to the touch and there was a little indention where Jari had cut. He sighed as he looked down at his busted knuckles.

"Let me see your back," she scooted behind him taking in the numerous lashes and caked on blood. She pressed her hands flat against him, working silently. Kakashi looked over at Genma who had pushed himself up to sit once again. He turned his head to look at him and they shared a thankful expression, both glad that the other was alive and okay. Genma brought his foot forward and, bracing his hand on his knee, pushed himself to stand.

Sakura looked up from her work, "Take it easy!"

"No time, it sounds bad out there," he commented on the sound of clashing metal and cracking stone.

Sakura's brow knitted, "I know."

After healing as much as she could, she pulled the shirt from the side of her belt and handed it to Kakashi. He quickly put it on and then caught the weapon pouch she tossed into his lap. He checked inside, "That's my girl."

She helped him to his feet and he attached the pouch to his belt.

"How's your leg?"

"Hurts like hell, but at least it's not broken anymore."

Sakura knelt down by an Iwa nin and yanked off his pouch, handing it to Genma, "Last resort. You're not in any condition to be fighting."

Then she did a swift check on both of them, satisfied with the results for now. As soon as they got away, she could do a more thorough healing.

"I'm going to signal to Yamato to drop the barrier and then we are getting out of here. We've planned an escape route to the southwest," Sakura explained, "Get ready."

They nodded in understanding and then the wall around them cracked and then opened up.

* * *

A/N: Gah! Sorry it took me so long to update this. I guess I'm really not up for multi-chap anything, lol. I was a little disappointed here and there with this part and hopefully the next part will be more action oriented. I was slammed with real life and Uni so I apologize that this isn't of a greater quality. Again, this is not beta read (although I'm sure you can tell) I haven't found a decent beta reader yet -.-'

Again, feedback is welcomed and encouraged!! Hopefully I'll have part three up soon, I'm feeling kind of gritty and violent at the moment and I'm putting off my paper *sigh* Bad Deni, bad! Thanks for reading!! I'm thinking this will only be one or two more installments. I'm not aiming for anything epic here - just sharing an idea that won't leave me alone.


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